Vacuum wheel for extracting liquid from tow



2,871,502 VACUUM WHEEL FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM TOW Filed March 10.1954 Feb. 3, 1959 J. K. WHISNANT.

2 Sheets-Sheet -1 INVENTOR JMIUY. Wilma/Ii BY i ATTORNEY IIIIIIIIIIIIIII3 4 4 wr/ Q2 Feb. 3, 1959 J. K. 'WHISNANT 2, 7

VACUUM WHEEL FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM TOW Filed March 10, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Jfg' 6.

as *r mi a2 INVENTOR JbMIY. Wilma!!! A'I-TORNEY n a a 9 a United StatesPatent VACUUNI WHEEL FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM TOW Application March10, 1954, Serial No. 415,309 Claims. (Cl. 15-306) This invention relatesto the manipulation of multiple yarns or tows and more particularly tothe propulsion of and liquid recovery from a running tow of viscoserayon.

In the manufacture of staple fibers and the like, it is customary tospin a large number of parallel yarns and to effect the aftertreatmentof these yarns in a group which is called a tow. Because the aggregatedenier of the tow is very high, the forces required to move it are highand the loads imposed on driving equipment are high enough to render thecontrol of slippage a problem.

In the liquid treatment of tow, the entrained treating liquid isconsiderable in volume and the waste incident to its removal from thesystem is relatively great.

Heretofore, attempts to meet the slippage problem have involved variousexpedients tending to increase friction between driving sheaves and thetow. Some of these schemes cause yarn damage and none of them is relatedto liquid recovery.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a tow propulsiondevice which will maintain good driving contact with the tow not only ina manner to avoid damage thereto but whereby simultaneous liquidrecovery is effected.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sheave having suctionmeans for withdrawing liquid from the tow groove which is characterizedby a high degree of pump ing economy in the maintenance of the desiredsuction.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent uponconsideration of the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a tow propulsion Wheel according tothe present invention in a typical position of use;

Figure 2 is a view in section of the tow wheel of Figure 1 taken on theline 22 of that figure;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in section taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of a modified type of tow propulsionwheel according to the present invention;

Figure 5 is a view in section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a view in section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

If more detailed reference is made to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of thedrawings, it will be noted that the feed or transfer wheel 10 of thepresent invention is a sheave or pulley having a peripheral groove 11 ofarcuate cross section for tow and a narrow annular groove 12 at thebottom of the tow groove 11. A series of radial passageways 13 extendinwardly from the groove 12 to a common inner annular space or manifold14 located in the hub of the wheel 10. The wheel 10 is fixed on hollowhub portions 15 and 15a which define between them an annular spaceregistering with the inner manifold 14 of the wheel 10 and placing thatmanifold in communication with the hollow interior of the hub portions.The hub portion 15a is a part of a hollow stub shaft 16a closed at oneend. The hub 15 is a part of hollow shaft 16 the interior of 2 which isserved by a vacuum connection 18 which comprises a box sealed againstleakage at 19 and 20 to the shaft 16 and providing an interior annulus21 served by a conduit 22. The shaft 16 is provided with ports at 23which register with the annulus 21.

Since it is intended that the groove 12 shall be maintained undernegative pressure, a suitable vacuum pump, not shown, is connected toconduit 22, which together with ports 23, shaft 16 and manifold 14,provides conduit means for permitting application of suction topassageways 13. The load on this pump would be very high indeed for atow extending for as short an are as is indicated in Figure 1 were itnot for the sealing of the groove 12 in the portions of the arc ofmovement where there is no contact with the tow. To do this, a sealingshoe 24 is provided to bear on the bottom of the groove 12 in theportion of the arc of movement where there is no tow. In order that thesealing shoe may have its arcuate sealing surface properly centered, theshoe is provided with a slot through which it may be adjustably boltedto a stationary part of the machine.

The guide wheels 25 and 26 may be ordinary pulleys or may be of the typeof the present invention. In any event, a typical tow path is shown inFigure l and the effect of it, due to the suction created, is to make agood positive drive for the tow at the same time to extract considerableresidual treating liquid or other moisture therefrom. Shaft 16-1641 is,of course, provided with ordinary bearings, not shown. It is to beunderstood that the sheave 10 and the shaft 1616a turn as a unit. Thepropulsion of the shaft 1616a is accomplished by any convenient means,not shown.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, thesheave bears reference numeral 27. Instead of being a unitary body withdrilled radial ports, it is an assembly which is made up of two castelements or sides 28 and 29 which are mutually complementary. Theelements 23 and 29 each include a central space or manifold 30, 31.Grooves or channels 32 and 33 extend radially outwardly from themanifolds 30 and 31. These grooves are cast or cut on the inner faces ofthe sheave elements 28 and 29 and they extend for less than the fullradius of the half sheave. Marginal complementary peripheral groovesdefinea tow groove 34 having an arcuate cross section. When the sheaveelements 28 and 29 are assembled, a sealing plate 35 is located betweenthem. This plate is so shaped that its upper half does not cover theends of the grooves 32 and 33 while its lower half does, see Figure 4.Thus, suction applied to the grooves through the center manifolds 30 and31 will be effective through that part of the groove 34 in the pathwhich the tow contacts but will not be effective in the remaining partof the groove 34.

Aside from the foregoing differences, the structure of the embodiment ofFigures 4, 5 and 6 is not very different from that of Figures 1, 2 and3. The sheave elements are mounted on a hollow shaft 36 by hub members37 and 38 so that the shaft 36, the hubs 37 and 38 and the sheaveelements 23 and 29 turn as a unit. Shaft 36 has a series of ports 39leading to manifold 30 and another series of ports 40 leading tomanifold 31. Still a third series of ports 41 lead to the annularinterior 42 of a suction box 43 provided with a suction conduit at 44.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that when suction is applied at 44,the reduced pressure within the shaft 36 will be communicated to themanifolds 30 and 31 and from them to the grooves 32 and 33. Because thesealing plate 35 does not extend to the outer ends of the grooves in theare through which the tow passes, sheave elements 28 and 29 are spacedapart so that the suction is com municated to the groove 34.

The path of the tow to, from and over'the sheave 27 may be the same asis shown in Figure 1. The shaft 36 and the sheave 27 turn as a unit, butthe plate 35 is.

held stationary as for example by a boltpassing through the aperture at45.

Although in Figure 6 the ports 32 and 33 are indicated as being incircumferential registry on opposite sides of the plate 35, thisregistry is unimportant to the operation of the device.

Among the more important aspects of this invention is the provision of asheave having a tow groove, a suction groove at the bottom of the towgroove and means to seal the suction groove during those parts of theannular movement in which the groove is not in radial registry with tow.

In using the device of this invention in the aftertreatment of tow, itwill be appreciated that the conduits 2-2 and 44 may be used to withdrawtreating liquidswhich may then be delivered to suitable recoveryapparatus.

Should the particular liquids recovered be corrosive, suitableprecautions are taken.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotatable wheel for the propulsion of tow, said wheel having amarginal groove of arcuate cross section for the reception of the tow, anarrower groove at the bottom of said marginal groove, circumferentiallyspaced ports extending radially within said wheel and communicating withsaid narrower groove, means to apply suction to said ports andstationary sealing means occupying said narrower groove in a part of itspath of rotation, said sealing means extending beyond the periphery ofthe wheel.

2. A rotatable wheel for the propulsion of tow, said wheel having amarginal groove of arcuate cross section for the reception of the tow, anarrower groove at the bottom of said marginal groove, a hollow shaftsupporting said wheel for rotation, means to apply suction to the hollowinterior of said shaft, means establishing passageways interconnectingthe hollow interior of said shaft with said narrower groove atcircumferentially spaced points thereabout and stationary sealing meansoccupying said narrower groove in a part of its path of rotation, saidsealing means extending beyond the periphery of said wheel.

3. A rotatable wheel for the propulsion of tow, said wheel having amarginal groove of arcuate cross section for the reception of the tow, anarrower groove at the bottom of said marginal groove, circumferentiallyspaced ports extending radially within said wheel and communicating withsaid narrower groove, means to apply suction to said ports, a platehaving an arcuate edge complementary to said narrower groove, meanslocated beyond the periphery of said wheel to hold said plate stationarywith the arcuate edge in said narrower groove to seal the same in a partof its arc of movement.

47 A rotatable wheel for the propulsion of tow, said wheel havingcomplementary sides mounted for rotation about an intermediatestationary spacer plate and defining therebetween a marginal towreceiving groove of arcuate cross section, at least one of said sideshaving radial grooves therein extending short of said tow groove, saidsides being spaced apart so that said grooves communicate with said towgroove, and means to apply suction to the radially inner end of saidgrooves, said plate being radially shorter than said grooves in onesector thereof and radially longer than said grooves for the remainingsector thereof whereby in said radially longer sector said radialgrooves are closed.

5. A rotatable wheel for the propulsion of tow, said wheelhaving-complementary sides mounted for unitary rotation about anintermediate spacer plate and defining therebetween a marginal towreceiving groove of arcuate cross section, each of said sides havingradial grooves therein on the side facing said plate, said groovesterminating short of said tow receiving groove, said sides being spacedapart so that said grooves communicate with said tow groove, means toapply suction to the radially inner ends of said grooves, said platebeing radially shorter than said grooves in one sector and in the otherbeing radially longer than the grooves, a portion of the radially longersector extending beyond the margins of the wheel to constitute asupport.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS793,092 Porter et a1 June 27, 1905 1,629,154 De Ybarrondo May 17, 19272,008,402 Regan July 16, 1935 2,753,181 Anander July 3, 1956 FOREIGNPATENTS 687,924 Germany Feb. 8, 1940 570,795 Great Britain July 23, 1945

